Packing apparatus and method



y 4, l929. I n. w. WADSWORTH 1, ,859

PACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 15, 1927- Sheets-Sheet 1 l A TTORNE Y5 May 14, 1929. o. w. WADSWORTH PACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I Dwzyhi W Wadsworth a ma A TTORNEYS Patented May 14, 1929.

DWIGHT VT. W'ADSWULRTH, '13 FENLETV'TMZJ at. l 9

PACKING APIABAUZ" it] AND hlIlEUtI-JIIO'D.

Application filed August 15, 1927.

The main objects of this invention are:

First. to provide an improved method oil pacliii fruits and vegetables which greatly facilitates the packing; of the fruit with a facing, that is, one or more layers oi: irnit orranired in. a manner to present the host app iarance when the container opened. ticcond, to provide an improved method for packing:fruits and vegetables in barrels and the like which greatly enpedites the work and enables the arrangement of a facing oi the saline in such a manner that they are not hirelv to he disturbed or displaced after the container is fully packed.

'lhird, to provide an apparatus for this purpose which is very economical in its parts and convenient to use.

Objects pertaining; to detailsand econoinies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is delined in the claims.

it structure which embodies the features oi? my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation oi? a portion. oi my improved apparatus. the facing support. in trav heinn' removed iron: the standard.

Fin. 2 is an inverted perspective View of the facing supporting tray.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the collarlih'e facing holder which is in practice formed of paper or cardboard.

ll ig at is a fragmentary side elevation oi? the facing receptacle with the facing holder and a facing of fruit arranged therein.

Fig. 5 is a fragments. the parts shown in Fig. 4: with the supporting; tray arranged upon the facing.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation oi the facing receptacle disposed. in inverted position illustrating another step oi? the method.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line '3 oil Fig.1. 8 illustrating the manner of engaging and disongagiiie, the supporting; t a r with the tray supporting; head.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation with the container shown in vertical section illustrating one step of my improved method.

Fig. 9 is a view of the parts shown in l ie. 8 illustrating stillanother step in the method.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation. oi? parts oi may improved. apparatus illustrating; still an other step of my improved method.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevation oi one of the receptacle rests.

vi ide elevation o tierfiai lt'o. 213,011.

Fig.1. 12 is an enlarged detail view partially in section on line 152 152 of liig. 7, showing details oi the supporting tray.

' Hotel-ring; to the drawingig, the apparatus ilhnitrated comprises a haste l which isadapt-- ed to be secured to the floor or other suitable support nrovided with a socket" adapted to receive the lower end of the standard 2, wh ich in practice may be a piece of pipe. The standard 9; is provided with a pin 8 engaging; a vertical. slot d in the Wall of the socii'et so that when the standard is engaged it is sup ported against rotation. The standard is provided with a triangijnlar tray supporting head 5 having opposed notches (3 in the sides thereof, these notches being adapted to receive the studs 7 on the under side oi' the support e; tray 8. The supporting tray is on 5!. rd with the head by a sliding; movement, the ads one; 1' in the recesses (i properlv location the tray in a central position. The studs are provided with. springpressed coliii-s having spherically ciii'ved tlacings, these collars being]; yieldingly sii 'iported on the studs by in of the coiled swings 3i-see the enlarned detail in This avoids the need of great accuracy in manufacla in; and the spring); pressed collars vieldi v hold the tray 8 upon the head so that it not likely to he accidentally dislodged.

(in the standard 2 I mount a crosshead 9 i101 slidlngr ad nstnient. Thls crosshcad is provided with radial arms 32 having receptacle supporting brackets 33 at their outer ends, the e brackets having: yieldingly supported rest 34lfor the edge oi a container 11, a harrol heing illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. The hraeltets have upwardly projecting centering arms which guide the receptacle to a central position, the rests being); yielding;- lv Sllpp fil'lifll by the springs 36 to compensate for stoves ol' diiierent lengths or a barrel that may he cut oil true, perinittin the barrel heinp" centered relative to the "tray, the advant c of which will appear as the tie scription proceeds.

Prior to arranging the barrel uponv the support the top hoops are retrieved and the quanter hoop it is s pped up on the staves allowinnthe open end oi the harrel to expand. The crossl'icad slidably supported on the standard, a ring clutch 1 3 heingr pi votally mounted at i l: on the lint: 15. The spring 16 urges the clutch to err ;ing,1' position. A set screw 1'1 provided or adjusting the tension of the spring. The clutch is provided with a hand hold 18 so that an upward lift on the hand hold will release the clutch. While the clutch 13 is sufiicient to support the crosshead with the container arranged thereon, itsfriction engagement is adjusted so that by adownward pressure on the barrel the crosshead may be moved. to the position shown in Fig. 9 without releasingthe clutch. In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 I have illustrated the preliminarysteps of packing the container, that is, the supporting of a facing of the articles to be packed upon the tray so that the container may beinVerted over this facing and adjusted to position the facing in the bottom" of the container or at the end of the container, which-becomes the top when the same is opened for display purposes or to remove the contents. 7 r

To support the facing and to facilitate the arrangement thereof I provide a collar-like facing holder 19 for each container packed. This holder 19 is arranged in a pan-like facing receptacle QO'andone or more layers of the articles to be packed, indicated at 21, is arranged therein as illustrated in Fig. l. The supporting tray 8 is then arranged wit in the facing receptacle, as illustrated in Fig.5, upon the facing and the receptacle 'with the tray therein inverted as shown in Fig.6. To facilitatethis the receptacle is '.provided with hand holds 23 while the tray is provided with gripsQ l which may be positioned relative to the hand hold so that the tray-may be held firmly upon the facing as the facing receptacle is. inverted.

-To adapt the apparatus for fruits or vegetables of-smaller size the tray is provided with another pair of hand holds 25 which may be grasped in the event that when the tray is inserted as a follower it enters further into thereceptacle than shown in Fig. 5.

With the parts assembled as shown in Fig.

I 6, the assembly is placed upon a table or other supporting surface with the ends of the hand hold supports37 projecting to constitute legs resting on the support. The receptacle 20 is then removed, leaving the supporting tray with a facing holder and facing arranged therein, asshown in 8. By means of the handles 25 the tray. is then mountedon the head 5 of thestandard. This method releases thefacing-receptacle so that another facing unit may be setup-by another worker.

The'container 11 is then arranged in inverted' position on the cross head as shown in Fig. 8 and pushed down to the position shown in Fig. -,9.- The-standard is then lifted from the base and the container inverted, as shown in Fig. 10, the standard and tray being lifted out as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 10, leaving the facing with the facing holder collar in the container so that the container maybe completely filled and closed.

By this apparatus and. method I am able to very rapidly pack fruits and vegetables,

facing the same in an attractive manner and without injury thereto.

I have illustrated and described my im provements in an embodiment which I have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations or modifications which I contemplate as I believe the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to embody or :ulapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard provided with a triangular tray supporting head having opposed notches therein, a container supporting crosshead slidable on said standard and provided with a friction clutch, said crosshead being provided with container centering shoulders, a facing supporting tray provided with headed studs on its under side engageable inthe notches of the tray supporting head whereby the tray is detachably conuecled thereto, a collar-like facing holder, and a far-- ing receptacle adapted to receive said facing holder and tray and to be inverted (herewith, for the purpose specified.

2. in an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard provided with a triangular tray supporting head having opposed notches therein, a. container support ing crosshead slidable on said stamlard and provided with a friction clutch, said crosshead being provided with container centering shoulders, and a facing supporting tray provided with headed studs on its under side engageable in the notches of the tray supporting head whereby the tray is dctaehably connected thereto.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a base, a standard detachably engageable with said base and. provided with a tray supporting head, a container supporting cross h ad adjustably mounted on said standard, a facing supporting tray engageable with said head, a collar-like conical facing holder adapted to embrace said tray to be supported thereby, and a facing receptacle adapted to receive said facing holder and tray and to be inverted therewith, for

.the purpose specified.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a base, a standard detachably engageable with said base and rovided with a tray supporting head, a container supporting erosshead adjustably mounted on said standard, and a facing supporting tray engageable with said head.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard provided with a traysupporting head, a container supporting cross head adjustably mounted on said standard, a facing supporting tray engageable with said head, a collar-like conical facllll ing holder adapted to embrace said tray to be supported thereby, and a facing receptacle adapted to receive said facing holder and t 213 and to be inverted therewith, for the purpose specified.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the con'ibination of a standard provided with a tray supporting head, a container supporting cross head adjustably mounted on said standard, and a facing supporting tray slidably engageable with said head with a transverse movement.

7. Tn an apparatus of the classdescribed, the combination of a standard provided with a tray supporting head, a container supporting crosshead adjustable on said standard, a facing supporting tray detachably engageable with said head, a collar-like facing holder, and a facing receptacle adapted to receive said facing holder and tray.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard provided with a supporting head, a container supporting erosshead adjustably mounted on said standard, said crosshead having radial arms provided with receptacle supporting brackets at their outer ends, said brackets having upwardly projecting arms and yieldably receptacle supporting rests disposed at the side of said arms, and a facing supporting tray e11- gageable with said head.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard provided with a facing supporting means, and a container supporting crosshead adjustably mounted 011 said standard and provided with yieldable receptacle rests.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a standard provided with a facing supporting head, and a container support slidably mounted on said standard and adapted to support a receptacle in inverted position, said container support having yieldable receptacle rests for facilitating the centering of the receptacle with said facing supporting means.

11. The method of packing consisting of disposing a collar-like tapered holder Within a receptacle and arranging a facing of the articles to be packed therein, placing a support ing tray upon such facing and inverting and removing the receptacle, leaving the facing holder on the tray with the facing therein, inverting a container over the said facing holder and tray, turning the container to upright position while the facing is supported by the tray and facing holder, removing the tray, and completing the packing of the container.

1'2. The method of packing consisting of disposing a collar-like facing holder within a receptacle and arranged a facing of the articles to be packed therein, placing a supporting tray upon such facing and inverting and removing the receptacle leaving the fac ing holder on the tray with the facing therein, inverting a container over the said facing holder and tray, reversing the container and removing the tray leaving the facing holder in the container.

13. The method of packing consisting of disposing a collar-like holder within a receptacle and arranging a facing of the articles to be packed therein, placing a facing retaining member upon. such facing and inverting and removing the receptacle leaving the facing supported by said holder upon said retaining member, inverting a container over the said facing holder and retaining member, and reversing the container.

14. The method of packing consisting of disposing a collar-like holder within a receptacle of a sectional,dimension approximately that of the final container, arranging a facing of the article to be packed therein, arranging a facing retainer member upon such facing, inverting the receptacle and facing retainer as a unit, removing the receptacle and inverting a container over the said facing holder and its said facing retainer member while they are in assembled relation, reversing the container, and removing said facing retainer.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

DWIGHT W. VVADSWVORTH. 

